It Started In A Hole
by Sela McGrane
Summary: Just after the Battle of Hogwarts, Minerva and Hermione fall into a hole. Wands broken, there's nothing to do but wait for rescue. During the wait, Hermione reveals certain things to Minerva, things that they will both have to face, once they are rescued.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all! Here's another new MM/HG for ya. For those of you waiting on updates, I am in the middle of writing the next chapter for "Heat of the Battle**",** and as soon as I'm done with that, I'm moving forward with another chapter for "Antebellum".** **I've also had a few recent requests for me to pick up "Heart" again, so I'll try and do that as soon as the rest of my to-do pile is updated. Oh, one more thing: I've also begun to plot out the sequel to "Point of Love". Those of you interested in that fic, shoot me messages, give me ideas. I know there were alot of loose ends in PoL, but I'm not sure I can form a full plot around those loose ends alone. **

**In the meantime, enjoy the start of the new MM/HG, by MegaNerdAlert! **

* * *

><p>The battle, the war was over. They moved Voldemort's body and laid it in a chamber off the Hall, away from the bodies of Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Colin Creevey, and fifty others who had died fighting him. Minerva had replaced the House tables, but nobody was sitting according to House anymore: All were jumbled together, teachers and pupils, ghosts and parents, centaurs and house-elves, and Firenze lay recovering in a corner, and Grawp peered in through a smashed window, and people were throwing food into his laughing mouth.<p>

Minerva herself was sitting at what would have been the Ravenclaw table, head just resting on the warm wood, trying to drown out the laughter and sobbing that could be heard in the Great Hall. The thought of all the meetings that would need to be held in the next few days was giving her a headache. Snape was dead, and his deputies, the Carrow siblings, sure as hell weren't going to take his place as Head of Hogwarts. A new Headmaster or Headmistress would have to be elected, and Minerva was quite certain that she was on the short list of candidates. There was also a Minister of Magic to elect, as there hadn't been one since Rufus had been killed last year – at least not a legitimate one. Minerva had no idea who they might try to elect to that office, but she prayed to Merlin that they didn't even _think _about offering the job to her. She wasn't even sure she really wanted the Head of Hogwarts position.

"Professor McGonagall?"

Minerva sighed and turned her head to face the speaker. "Hello, Hermione," she said, upon seeing her favorite student. All year, the girl had been on the run with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, and she had found herself often wondering if the brains of the Trio was alright.

"What are you doing over hear?" Hermione asked.

Minerva groaned. "Trying to escape the noise."

"There are other places in the castle you could go for some quiet," the younger woman pointed out. "Would you prefer if I left you alone?"

Minerva sat up. "No, don't go," she said quicker than she'd meant to. "But good point on there being other places. Would you care to walk down to the kitchens with me and see if we can't find some decent tea?"

Hermione smiled. "Certainly, Professor."

Minerva stood, and nodded for Hermione to follow her out of the Great Hall. "This way, Miss Granger."

Hermione fell in step with her. "I like it better when you call me 'Hermione', I think."

Minerva smiled. "Alright, Hermione. It's 'Minerva' to you, then."

"Okay," Hermione replied with a small smile.

The two exited the Hall without anyone taking notice. They walked in silence, making their way through the wreckage with ease. They had nearly made it to the corridor that led down to the kitchens when it happened.

Without so much as a creak for a warning, the floor gave way and collapsed under them. Seconds later, they were both covered in dust and stone, laying on an earthy floor. "Hermione, are you alright?" Minerva called into the darkness. The only light was coming from about fifty feet above, where the pair had fallen in.

"I'm fine, you?"

"I think I'm alright as well," Minerva said, running her hands over her own body to check for major injury. The hole they'd fallen into was wider at the top, and narrowed as it got deeper. They seemed to have slid down the steep wall of dirt, breaking what would have otherwise been a rather nasty fall.

"Do you have your wand?" Hermione asked, voice now sounding rather upset.

Minerva looked around the dim lit cavern and saw her own wand laying on the ground, broken in two by a boulder that had landed on top of it. "Damnit!"

"Yours is broken as well, then?" Hermione sighed, walking over to where the older woman was sitting.

Minerva groaned. "Yes."

Hermione sat down on the ground beside her former Professor. "So, no wands, and there is no way we can get back up the way we fell down, it's far too steep. Any other ideas?"

"Wait for help to come, I suppose," Minerva replied crisply.

"We can't be the only people to think of going to the kitchens," Hermione assured her. I'm sure it'll be no time at all before someone comes along. And we aren't hurt."

Minerva shifted. "The passage we went down is accessible only to teachers. So one of the teachers will have to come down this way. That limits the pool of people that might come across us considerable.

"What about House Elves?" Hermione asked suddenly. "Couldn't you just summon one?"

"They evacuated to my Manor when the Battle began," Minerva sighed. "I told them to not return unless I personally came to tell them it was safe. I even set up special wards so that no one could summon them without going through the wards of McGonagall manor."

Hermione broke out in a wide smile.

"What?" Minerva snapped. "That does prohibited them from being able to rescue us, you know."

"I'm just pleased that you gave so much consideration to their safety, Minerva," Hermione grinned. "Not many purebloods care about House Elves enough to have bothered with all that."

"And how do you know I'm not a half-blood, or muggleborn like yourself?" Minerva wanted to know.

Hermione blushed. "I, um, was kind of obsessed with you during my third year. Went sort of crazy trying to find out anything I could about you, and your background."

Minerva raised her eyebrows. "Oh? And other than me being a pureblood, what did you find out?" In truth, she was rather flattered that Hermione would think that highly of her, but at the same time she wished Hermione had just asked.

"Oh, this and that," Hermione punted. "Found out a few things we have in common, other than academics."

Minerva crossed her arms. "Don't evade the question, Hermione. Things we have in common? Like what?"

Hermione sighed. "You asked for it," she warned.

Minerva nodded. "Go on," she encouraged. At the least, this would help pass the time until Filius or one of the other Professors got hungry.

"We both dislike milk chocolate, but love dark chocolate. White chocolate makes us both very hyper. We both enjoy watching Quiddich, but not playing, though you were on the Gryffindor Team while in school because you were trying to outdo your elder brother, Artemis, and he had tried out for the team and not been chosen. Your parents got a divorce, just like mine. Your mother was verbally abusive, as was mine. Both of us excelled with school to prove to our mothers that we were not…stupid. We both prefer tea to coffee, but if we drink coffee, it's only ever black. And, well, we both…" Hermione paused and looked at Minerva carefully.

Minerva was staring at the girl. She had been expecting Hermione to site various articles that had been written about her over the years, but the things she knew…those were things that she could have only found out about Minerva by very careful observation; And considerable eavesdropping. Minerva vaguely recalled telling Albus about the reason she'd been on the Quidditch team in her youth.

"Minerva?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Should I stop? I mean, if it freaks you out that I know so much about you…"

"Not at all, dear," Minerva said. "I'm just rather fascinated by the type of things you seem to know. I expected you to recite facts about my life, not personal preferences."

Hermione blushed furiously.

"What?" Minerva asked, curious as to what she'd said that would have made the younger woman blush.

"We're both lesbians," she mumbled quietly.

In any other room, any other time, any other day, the words would have been to quiet and muffled to understand. But here, in a deep hold in the underbelly of Hogwarts, Minerva heard every word clearly.

Minerva was stunned. "Oh."

Just then, Minerva heard the echo of shuffling feet above her. "Hey! Down here!" she called out.

"Minerva!" a worried voice called out from above.

_Good timing, Filius,_ Minerva thought. She was in no way ready to have _THAT _conversation with Hermione. It was not the first time a student had developed a crush on her, that was for sure, but it was the first time she'd found herself returning the feeling.

"I and Herm – Miss Granger fell into this hole," Minerva called back. "Both of our wands seem to have been broken in the process. We are not injured, but do require help getting out."

"Sit tight, ladies," Professor Flitwick replied. "I'll be right back!"

* * *

><p><strong>Please review! <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's an update! Thank you to those who have reviewed so far, totally love you guys! **

* * *

><p>Hermione and Minerva did not speak in the ten minutes it took for Filius to leave, and return with help, in the form of Harry Potter. "Hey Hermione," he called down.<p>

"Harry," Hermione replied crisply. "A little help?"

Harry shrugged, and then pointed his wand at a piece of wood that had fallen down the hole with them. Suddenly, it was larger, big enough for both Hermione and Minerva to sit on it. "Have a seat you two," he said.

The two women complied silently, and a moment later, Harry and Filius simultaneously cast levitation charms and the board, along with the two witches, started rising. Both were clutching to the edges, trying to stay balanced, and a minute later they were out of the hole and safely on the ground.

"Better?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Hermione replied. "Thanks."

"Professor?" Harry inquired.

"I am well, Mr. Potter," Minerva replied. "Thank you for your assistance."

At that point, Harry and Filius both turned and left without another word, leaving Hermione and Minerva together, alone, again.

"Blast," Minerva replied, thinking that being alone with Hermione was the last thing she wanted at the moment.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Oh," Minerva replied, suddenly remembering that the girl was right there. "I was thinking about my broken wand. I guess instead of getting tea, I aught to head to Diagon Alley and get a new one."

"Mind company?" Hermione asked timidly. "As my wand was broken as well?"

Minerva pursed her lips. No, she would really prefer not to have Hermione come with her, but alas, Minerva was not so selfish as to say this, as it was true that Hermione required a new wand as well. It's not like they were totally out of danger, there were plenty of Death Eaters still out and about, and Minerva was not about to suggest Hermione go unable to defend herself for any length of time. "Not a problem," Minerva finally said. "But this time, let's let someone know where we are going in case we get into any other trouble."

"Good plan," Hermione replied with a wry grin.

The two walked back to the Great Hall, idly discussing their mutual curiosity about what it would be like to get a new wand fitted. Neither had ever had need for a replacement wand. Minerva's parents had already been divorced by the time she started Hogwarts, and both parents had insisted on buying her a wand. The wand her father had gotten her she had used during her school years, and it was broken sometime in the middle of the war with Grindawald. After that, she'd used the wand her mother had given to her, and had been since.

After stopping in the Great Hall to inform Filius where they were headed, the two walked up to the Head's Office, and used the Floo to go directly to Diagon Alley, via the Leaky Cauldron. Within the next few minutes, they were walking into Ollivander's, which was unusually busy, due to the fact that many witches and wizards' wands had also been broken in the course of the last battle. They decided to go back to the Leaky Cauldron for a cup of tea while waiting – Mr. Ollivander's had promised to send a Patronus as soon as the large group ahead of them were gone.

"So what are your plans now, Miss Granger?" Minerva inquired, trying to guide the conversation somewhere _other_ than back to…where it had been going whilst stuck in that hole. "What are you going to do with your life?"

Hermione sighed. "Miss Granger again, huh?"

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Fine. What are your plans now, _Hermione_?" she amended.

Hermione sat back in the chair. "Well, obviously I'll sit for my NEWTs before anything," she began. "I don't really think I need to bother with my actual seventh year of study…I did keep up with my studies while we were on the run. You'd be surprised how much reading you can get done when it's your turn on watch."

Minerva chuckled. "I am aware. I studied for my Level One Transfiguration Mastery while on stakeouts during the war with Grindawald."

Hermione grinned. "I'm certain that I want to go into teaching, but I'm not sure what yet. At risk at sounding egotistical, I'm good at everything, sans Divination."

That remark earned Hermione an amused smile, but no comment.

"I've narrowed it down to Potions, Charms, or Transfiguration," Hermione continued. "The Potions post is open now, and if you become Headmistress, which I'm sure you are aware is a real possibility, then Transfiguration would also be open. I'm not sure what Professor Flitwick's plans are, so far as when he plans to retire…"

"So you're dead set on working at Hogwarts?" Minerva inquired with an amused tone, though inside, this notion kind of concerned her, in light of recent…confessions on Hermione's part.

"Of course," Hermione replied, mock shock in her voice. "What other choice is there?"

Minerva grunted. "How long do you think it'll take you to get one of those masteries? Hogwarts only requires a Level One for teaching, though there is a pay raise for each level you complete if you continue to study while teaching."

Hermione nodded knowingly – Minerva would not be at all surprised if Hermione was already aware of that fact. "Honestly, I realize it usually takes six months of hard study for a Level One, but I think I could do it before start of next term. I would be prepared to test for Level Two by next summer."

Minerva whistled. "Ambitious much?"

"Wasn't I always?"

"Know-it-all," she teased.

"Homework Nazi!" Hermione countered.

"Bookworm!"

"Hey!" Hermione objected. "So are you!"

Minerva suddenly had the stunning revaluation that she and Hermione were flirting. "Yes, I am," she whispered.

Just then, an iguana Patronus scampered into the Leaky Cauldron. _"I am ready for you Minerva, and Miss Granger,"_ it said in Mr. Ollivander's voice.

The two women stood at the same time, and without a word, headed back to the wand shop. When they arrived, Mr. Ollivander nodded with a smile and motioned for them to step up to the counter. He already had several boxes laid out.

"Minerva, you first," he said cheerfully. "Try this one – seven inches, birch, Griffin hair core."

Minerva took the wand and was not in the least surprised to feel the warmth in hand as she flicked it. Ollivander sure was good at his job. "Perfect, she murmured.

"Now, Miss Granger," Ollivander said, turning to the younger witch. "I have a suspicion about you…"

"Hermione, please," the girl said.

"Very well, try this one – also seven inches, but rather willow, and Griffin hair core."

Minerva raised her eyebrows. While certainly not an expert on the subject, she did know a fair bit about wand lore. The wand the Hermione was trying out was the wand she was holding's cousin. And cousin wands were often found in couples. In fact, there was a Wizard dating service that based a lot of their matchmaking on that very notion.

Hermione took the willow wand by the handle, and by the smile on her face, Minerva could tell that Hermione had felt a connection. She gave it a wide, sweeping wave and the room suddenly looked like it had been hit with _luminos maximus._

"Mr. Ollivander, I really must say that until this moment, I don't think that I fully appreciated just how incredible you are at your job," Hermione said with awe.

Minerva watched as Ollivander's eyes flicked between herself and Hermione, a broad smile forming on his face. "Thank you, Hermione," he replied. "Minerva, expect an Owl from me later…you will be returning to Hogwarts, I presume?"

"Yes I will," Minerva replied crisply. Ollivander had been a Ravenclaw, a year ahead of her. They had been study partners quite often during their school years, and he was one of the few who was aware of the fact she was indeed a lesbian. She knew full well that he was totally aware of the significance of cousin wands, and that Owl later was sure to be his annoyingly smug opinion of…the situation.

_How the bloody hell had this gone from tea in the kitchens to a situation, in only a few hours?_ Minerva wondered.

"Hermione," she said. "We should head back to Hogwarts before Filius starts to worry."

"Of course," the younger woman replied. "Thank you, Mr. Ollivander."

"You are quite welcome, my dear," the wand-maker replied. "I'm sure I'll see you again."

Fifteen minutes later, the two women tumbled out of the Floo into the Head of Hogwarts' office, and found themselves once again in an awkward silence.

* * *

><p><strong>PLEASE REVIEW!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Don't be mad, but this is the end of this fic. ****I think I tied things up nicely, but still left you hanging with enough things to make you say "Awww man, I want more!" lol Hope you like! **

* * *

><p>"This is bloody ridiculous!" Hermione said finally, ending the silence between the pair. "There is no reason for us to feel awkward in each others' presence."<p>

"Easy for you to say," Minerva mumbled, thinking of their cousin wands, and the feelings she wished she was not feeling.

"It's quite simple, Minerva," Hermione said, crossing her arms. "I've all but said it already, but since you refuse to acknowledge my hints, I'll just say it. I fancy you, Minerva. There, said it. And until you tell me how you feel about that, I refuse to give into insecurity and run away. I wasn't planning on having this conversation with you, ever, despite how I feel about you; because I never in a million years did I think anything could come of it."

"Well what changed your mind?" Minerva snapped. Oh, she did _not_ want to be having this conversation.

Hermione held up her new wand and scoffed. "As if you don't already know."

Minerva gulped. So Hermione _did_ know about the significance of cousin wands. "Right, that."

Hermione sighed. "Look, I already know we're compatible, and I already know that we both enjoy the company of other women. I am very attracted to you, so the only things I want to know are if you are attracted to me, and if you are willing to give a romantic relationship with me a shot."

Minerva tilted her head. "I don't remember you being this…forward, or…feisty, before you left last year."

Hermione chuckled. "You've never pissed me off before."

"You're upset with me?" Minerva inquired.

The younger woman paused for a moment, and then sighed. "No, not really. Frustrated, perhaps, but you could fix that fairly easily."

"Oh, how would I manage that?" Minerva asked boldly.

Hermione slowly walked toward Minerva, one step at a time. When she was close enough, she pushed the older woman harshly against the nearest wall, and pressed her body up against her. "Fuck me," she whispered into the older woman's ear.

_Oh yea. _Minerva felt her insides burning with desire. She absolutely loved dominate lovers. All day long, Professor Minerva McGonagall was strong and relentless, but at night, in the privacy of a dimly lit bedchamber, Minerva wanted to feel totally out of control. A bit bipolar of her, if she asked herself, but whatever.

"I think you want me," Hermione hissed into the older woman's ear. "I think you have for a while."

Minerva moaned softly as Hermione bit down on her neck. "Yes," she panted.

Hermione snaked her hand under Minerva's robes, and shortly after, Minerva felt her under garments being slowly pulled away. Her core thumped with desire, begging to be addressed. Hermione's hand slowly, gently, started rubbing the older woman's clit. "Does that feel good?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, yes," Minerva gasped, squirming against the weight of Hermione's body, still pressing her to the wall. "Please!"

"Please what?"

"Fuck me," Minerva begged. "Need you."

"Kiss me," Hermione demanded, poising her fingers on the edge of Minerva's entrance.

It was only then that Minerva even realized that in all the fuss, they had still not kissed for the first time. She tilted her head forward, and grabbed Hermione's head, pulling them together, quickly.

The world exploded in that moment. The moment tongues began to battle, Hermione gave one hard thrust of her hand, and Minerva came. The tension around her fingers was enough to drive Hermione over the edge as well. She had been waiting, dreaming of this moment for years.

The couple nearly fell to the ground together. "Bedroom?" Minerva suggested, tilting her head toward a nearby door.

"Definitely," Hermione agreed.

Minerva smacked Hermione's ass before walking quickly toward the adjoining room. "Come and get me."

"I love you," Hermione said, awe in her voice.

Minerva smirked. "I think I've figured that out."

Hermione grinned and hurried after the great, undefeated, unshakable, and beautiful Minerva McGonagall. "Mine," she whispered.

* * *

><p>No one saw hide nor hair of Hermione or Minerva for the rest of the day, though Minerva suspected that Filius knew something was going on, as he had not come looking for them. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised in the least if he had come up to the office to see if they were back, and after hearing what Minerva was sure would have been a tremendous racket, he had turned around and left. Filius was a good friend, and quite observant and perceptive.<p>

Of all the staff, he had been the least surprised when Harry had told them about Voldemort having Horcruxes, when they'd all demanded to know how he'd been dead one moment, and quite alive the next. It was as if he'd already guessed that was the case.

When the pair finally returned to the Great Hall the following morning, they were immediately ganged up on by an unlikely group. Filius, Poppy, and Ollivander were joined by Harry and Ron.

"So," Poppy said first, "Cousin wands, huh?"

"Did you two finally…eh hem…?" Filius smiled.

"About bloody time, I'd say," Ron added.

"It was kind of obvious you guys were pining after each other," Harry shrugged.

"I swear," Ollivander promised. "I said nothing."

Minerva bristled. "If that is that case, Mr. Ollivander, how is at that Poppy knows about the cousin wands?"

Ollivander held his hands up in defeat. "Got me, Minerva. In my defense, Poppy already knew that your magical cores were compatible. When Mr. Potter told her that you two had gone to see me about new wands, she Owled to inquire if you'd ended up with cousin wands…I couldn't lie."

Hermione's response was rather…Gryffindor. "Harry! Ronald! How the bloody hell did you find out I had feelings for her?"

"Ginny," the boys said simultaneously.

"Though honestly Hermione," Ron said, "once she dropped the hint, it was pretty obvious."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I'm not thick enough to have actually thought you were crying over Ron leaving while we were on the run, either."

"I'm going to hex that girl," Hermione said through gritted teeth.

Minerva's hand gently touched the younger woman's cheek. "Well at least we didn't have to tell them."

Hermione smiled at Minerva's touch. "I suppose that's true."

"I knew it!" Ron whooped.

"Shut it, Ronald." Hermione grinned.

* * *

><p><strong>Seven Years Later:<strong>

"Minerva!" Hermione called. "Call the boys, we need to get going!"

"Timothy, Titus, let's move!" Minerva's voice rang out. "For Merlin's sake Tim, straighten out your tie. You want to look sharp for your Uncle Harry's wedding, don't you?"

"Yes, mother," Hermione heard her older son's disdainful reply.

"Do I look sharp?" the younger boy, Titus' voice piped in.

"Yes you do, love, now let's move," Minerva replied gently.

Moments later, Minerva, Timothy, and Titus all walked out into the kitchen, where they would take the Floo to the Burrow, for Harry and Ginny's wedding. Hermione and Minerva had eloped a mere three months after that fateful tumble into a hole, right after the Battle of Hogwarts. Timothy had been conceived on their wedding night, and Titus a little more than a year after the birth of his brother. The six year old and five year old both displayed a level of intelligence that left no doubt that they were Hermione's, and the high Scottish cheekbones that indicated that they were indeed of McGonagall stock.

Minerva had indeed become Headmistress of Hogwarts, and Hermione, after realizing that launching a career was not the best idea after so soon becoming pregnant with Timothy, had chosen to just spend her spare time working on her Transfiguration Mastery. She figured that once the boys of Hogwarts age, she'd become a teacher. A lot of parents would not want to teach at a school their children attended, but Hermione figured that the boys already accepted that their mother was the Headmistress, so it wouldn't be a big deal for them to accept their mum as a Professor.

Hermione would me standing for Ginny today, much as Ron would be standing for Harry. The friendship the three had had made it through thick and thin, though even as adults they still had spats now and them.

One such spat had involved Ron getting involved with Hermione's younger, muggle sister, Heather. Hermione may have not been upset about the pair as a principle, but as they had not admitted to the relationship until Ron had 'knocked Heather up' three years ago. Much to Molly's dismay, the couple still were not married. They had shared custody of their now two year old daughter, Eva, but had split up not long after the little girl had been born. As Eva was already showing signs of magic, Hermione did hope that Ron and Heather would get back together. If Eva was a witch, it would be best if she was around the magical world, and Heather would not be welcomed into the magical world, as a muggle, unless she was married to a wizard.

As for Minerva and Hermione, both had never been happier. Minerva had even recently started to hint at an interest in having another child. Hermione was not so thick as to not get the hint when Minerva said things like "wouldn't it be nice if the boys had a sister?". Hermione was not apposed to the idea; however she didn't want to put off a career forever. More children meant more time she'd need to wait before getting on with her career.

_Perhaps_, Hermione thought smugly, _Minerva can retire and take care of the kids, and I'll work full time. See how many more kids she wants if that were the case… _

* * *

><p><strong>PLEASE REVIEW! <strong>_  
><em>


End file.
